15th-chapter-Cannes-Summer/Fall

This is Chapter Fifteen – Cannes – Summer/Fall 2023

Valbonne, Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Rebecca had been itching to visit an English bookstore (Niche Books) so today we took the 663 bus (2.50 each) to Valbonne an ancient village a half-hour bus ride away.

The old town in Valbonne is based around the ‘Place des Arcades’ – arcades are the stone-sheltered arched areas around the edge of the square that once provided shelter to merchants – which is a pretty square with cafes and a few shops.

The town is very unusual among medieval Provencal villages in that it follows a very precise, planned, grid layout with the streets all having the same width and standing at right angles to each other, following the original design established in 1519. This planning has more in common with the bastide towns of south-west France than the perched villages of Provence).

Likewise, the houses in Valbonne almost all follow the same design and originally had stables and livestock on the ground floor, living accommodation on the first floor, and then a hayloft on the top floor.

The streets are nicely maintained and lined with lots of stone and pastel painted houses, with exuberant plants adding a colourful touch. A few of the houses are now shops and boutiques but mostly they are still ‘inhabited’ houses. As the town follows this grid pattern you are less likely to get lost than in most Provencal villages!

We arrived just after noon and explored the town a bit before settling down for lunch at an outdoor restaurant (Le Cafe des Arcades).

Afterward, we hit the bookstore with a vengeance. Rebecca bought two new books and I stocked up on 7 used books (15 eu total for me).

We found the village to be quaint and somewhat picturesque.

We caught the 3:30 PM bus back.

Cannes, Sunday, November 26, 2023

Just out for a walk and shooting.

Nice, Friday, November 24, 2023

Today’s project for me was to buy a new set of glasses in Nice under a Black Friday promotion at Lunettes Pour Tous.

I was attracted by their buy 1 get 1 free promotion. After selecting two pair of equally priced glasses the total came to roughly twice the cost of one pair that I had priced out two days before. Not quite the deal that I had expected.

It seems that they charge twice the cost for lenses under their special deal.

No thanks. I then bought one pair at the original discount price. Surprisingly, they were ready in 10 minutes.

I also used this Nice trip to stop in at Ikea and pick up some kitchen supplies.

It was a productive Black Friday.

Cannes/Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23, 2023

Rebecca had French class today. I went out for my 10K walk and ran into the Google Maps guy walking in front of me.

We had slow-cooked turkey legs, my special dressing, and mashers. We called it Thanksgiving Lite.

Nice, Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Today we took the train to Nice to have lunch with our friends, Bruce and Sheila. We found a nice little restaurant (Bistrot Jennifer/ 36, Cours Saleya).

We arrived a bit early so Rebecca could do a bit of shopping as this is Black Friday week. We noticed that the leaves are falling this time of year. Much less colorful than the maple trees in the US.

Returning home I had a nice phone call with my daughter Katie who is visiting Chicago for Thanksgiving.

Cannes, Monday, November 20, 2023

Finally, picked up our new sun cover. (see Nov 6 entry) The original was ripped to shreds by the wind. It fits OK, but had to modify it a bit. Still, it will work.

Later we were treated to another beautiful sunset.

Cannes, Saturday, November 18, 2023

We went downtown for dinner (Byron pub) and a walk around town in the evening. On the way there we ran into a lady who owned an art gallery. She let us in after closing for a private showing. She complimented Rebecca on her French.

Another beautiful evening in Cannes.

Cannes, Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Rebecca and I went out for an evening walk and met a very nice local lady with a cute dog.

Cannes, Monday, November 13, 2023

Today was a beautiful day weather wise and tomorrow looks even better.

Rebecca returned to the classroom with her French classes. I headed downtown to walk her home after class.

Later we enjoyed another beautiful sunset off the terrace.

Cannes, Sunday, November 12, 2023

Just a few random recent shots.

Cannes, Monday, November 6, 2023

Chore day for me.

I am preparing to meet with my awning guy tomorrow to have a new sunscreen made.

A trip to the hardware store, the fabric store, and some time on the computer to tighten the specs.

Hope to launch the project tomorrow.

Rebecca on the other hand scored two new Casmire sweaters during her daily walk. Looking good girl.

Cannes, Sunday, November 5, 2023

Kathleen had a noon checkout so we collected her bags, moved them up to our apartment, and headed out for lunch.

To our surprise, there was the French Riviera Nice-Cannes Marathon ending downtown just as we were seeking a lunch venue.

On the 5th of November, the French Riviera Nice-Cannes Marathon will celebrate its 15th edition! Several surprises are waiting for you!

Distances available at the event are Marathon, 2x21k, 20k, Marathon Relay (3, 4, 5 or 6). Registration opened for Marathon now, rest of the races wil open soon.

From Nice to Cannes, nearly 150,000 runners since the first edition in 2008, have run on one of the most beautiful routes in the world. Enjoy the party and marathon spirit throughout your stay with us.

Seeking a table in the sun on this cool but sunny day we ended up at Da Tina 33 for less than spectacular food with the exception of my pizza.

After which we returned to our apartment and collected Katheeen’s bags as she engaged an Uber to Nice for her convention activities which begin tomorrow.

It was a delight having Kathleen with us for those three days.

Cannes, Saturday, November 4, 2023

Today after yesterday’s prep session, Rebecca and Kathleen took their shopping to a new level, with Rebecca acting primarily as a wingman. Kathleen was so successful that we gave her one of our suitcases to transport her newly acquired items.

That evening we retired to our apartment for a pizza dinner and to finish our watching All the Light We Cannot See, a Netlifx series we started yesterday.

Sleep came easily after a long day.

Cannes, Friday, November 3, 2023

Rebecca and Kathleen spent the day doing some professional shopping in Cannes. I took the morning to knock off a few home chores.

I met the ladies downtown mid-afternoon as they paused for a glass of wine. Later we headed off for a bite to eat and landed at Zoa Bistrol for a very nice meal. Kathleen and I split a Sushi plate and Rebecca had an excellent chicken dish.

The temperature had dropped a bit so we took a taxi home.

Nice, Thursday, November 2, 2023

We had a busy time on this cool rainy day.

We took a local TGV to Nice to meet some friends Bruce, Shelila, and Veronka for lunch and then picked up a friend at the airport from Chicago who will be visiting for a few days.

The trains were running late and we almost missed ours. The train left the station two minutes before the delayed posted time but we made it with about a minute to spare.

Arriving in Nice we walked to the restaurant –L’Oliver a few blocks from Bruce and Sheila’s apartment.

After lunch, we were invited up to the apartment for some coffee and conversation. Later we took a tour of the old town.

Then we took the L2 tram to the airport to meet Kathleen. While waiting we had a nice conversation with a young chap from India who was en route to Genova. He is working on his doctorate.

Picking up Kathleen we took the L2 to the Nice train station, then once in Cannes a taxi back to our apartment. We booked her in a unit two floors below us. After dropping off her bags in the apartment we headed out for some Thai food at a local restaurant.

Cannes, Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Today is a national holiday in France- All Saints Day “Toussaint”. There are 11 public holidays in France.

Tomorrow is All Souls Day, where the departed are honored, but many French honor their family departed on Nov 1 by visiting gravesites and leaving flowers.

We are looking forward to a visit tomorrow from our friend from Chicago, Kathleen who is visiting while her husband Kevin attends some meetings in the area. She will be with us for three days.

Cannes, Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Happy Halloween

Rebecca met our friends Sheila from Nice, and Sarah from the Bay area for lunch downtown Cannes. they had a nice visit.

Cannes, Saturday, October 28, 2023

Rebecca and I took a nice walk along the beach. Here are a few shots.

Cannes, Thursday, October 26, 2023

Today was our last day with Sarah as she leaves tomorrow AM to return to Asheville, NC

Rebecca and I walked Cannes with Sarah exploring the old town and Suquet Hill. We caught a quick lunch at Copernbagen Coffee.

Later I took Sarah by train to Nice for dinner and to check her into the hotel as she has an early flight tomorrow. We walked through Cap 3000 a huge shopping center and caught dinner on the beach in St Laurence du var, the town adjacent to the airport.

Cannes, Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Katie returned to Boston today on an early flight.

Sarah and I took a boat to visit Île Sainte-Marguerite just off the coast of Cannes.

In Cannes, just 15 minutes by boat from the famous La Croisette, Sainte-Marguerite Island is a wild beauty where nature, culture and relaxation meet. A little corner of paradise, it is nicknamed “the forest on the water” by those from Cannes because of its 170 hectares of forest. The flora and fauna here are perfectly protected.

Built by Richelieu, the Fort Royal is a historic monument that watches over the comings and goings of the boats.

A real jewel of a site, its fame results from having become a State prison and housing the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask, whose identity remains a mystery as of this day.

Now converted into a maritime museum, the building houses a collection of underwater archaeological objects and offers you the chance to visit the old cells.

We visited the fort and took a leisurely walk around the island.

That night Rebecca and I took Sarah out for a Thai dinner downtown. While there some acrobats and martial arts experts entertained the partons outside in the street.

Kaboom

Today we received notification that our Visa renewal has been approved.

We are legal for another year in France!

Cannes, Tuesday, October 24, 2023

We took a day trip to Monaco on this rainy day. We finished lunch (Monte Carlo Bar) just as the rain subsided.

Then it was up the hill to the royal palace, wandering around the streets while the girls shopped for souvenirs, and finally a visit to the Casino. Monaco is built on a steep hill so we had many sets of stairs to navigate on several levels which thoroughly confused our GPS.

Cannes, Monday, October 23, 2023

Today we explored Cannes, had dinner together at our apartment, and relaxed on the terrace in the evening. The weather was great.

Cannes, Sunday, October 22, 2023

I returned to Nice to help Katie and Sarah get to their Air BnB in Cannes, dragging Katie’s monster suitcase through the city. They booked a place just a few blocks from our one-bedroom apartment which was convenient.

We took the train to Cannes and enjoyed dinner downtown Cannes that evening.

Nice/Cannes, Saturday, October 21, 2023

Sarah arrived at the Nice airport today. I met her at the gate to take her to the Air BnB that Katie and her friends (Alex and Tess) had rented in Nice. I’m looking forward to time together with my two daughters.

I took the opportunity of this trip to Nice to visit the Ikea there. before heading to the airport. I was able to negotiate a full refund for the defective sun-screen.

After dropping Sarah off we took a walk along the English Promenade. I returned to Cannes for the night and did a few shots on the way home.

Cannes, Thursday, October 19, 2023

Getting closer to a solution for our awning replacement project.

I found some appropriate material and an awning repair guy who thinks he can do the task affordably.

It will require joining two pieces of outdoor material and sewing it together to fit the frame.

Also, today was a rainy day which made getting around a bit of a hassle.

The weather made it difficult for my daughter Katie and her friends who are exploring Nice and working their way to Cannes this weekend.

Cannes, Tuesday, October 17, 2023

What a great way to start the day with such a nice sunrise off our terrace. This life does not suck.

Cannes, Monday, October 16, 2023

Two Battles

Battle one

We have two IKEA shades on 0ur terrace, one of which began to rip a few weeks ago.

Last night it was rather windy and in the morning the shade was shredded.

I called Ikea to request a replacement and got the run-around. They first suggested I didn’t install it correctly which was BS then they said I should have taken it down when it became windy. Not something one does with an outdoor shade. The person finally said they were busy and had to disconnect. That did not go over well with me.

In looking over the reviews on this product many people complained that they ripped easily. Clearly a defective product.

This battle with Ikea is just beginning. We have spent several thousand euros with them this year. Stay tuned. I’m pissed.

Battle two

We applied for renewal of our Visa back in early July. They expired at the end of August and no word on renewal. We have called several times and were assured that all paperwork had been received. They were a bit backlogged.

I sent a follow-up letter requesting an extension while they go through the review process. A week ago we received a letter stating that the translation of our social Security confirmation letter should have been in euros rather than US$.

This is nuts as the conversion rate is available to anyone with an internet connection. They did not request this on either of our previous Visa doc packages.

We stopped by our French bank to request a confirmation of the Euro to US$ rate and they too said this was a weird request. They also said they couldn’t provide an official document of conversion as the funds were not directly deposited in their bank.

I sent a letter to the company who did the original translation requesting that they indicate both US$ and euros on the doc.

I just received a revised doc for both of us which will be sent to the French bureaucrats promptly. Fingers crossed that they move quickly to renew.

Without a renewed Visa we cannot reenter France should we leave.

Cannes, Sunday, October 15, 2023

Finally, the Painting project finished as I completed the railing base. Happy to have this behind me and proud of the results.

Before

After

After wrapping things up I took Rebecca downtown to celebrate. We had lunch at Byron pub. Excellent pizza and superb burger.

Cannes, Friday, October 13, 2023

I finished washing the patio base in prep for tomorrow’s final painting.

Rebecca had a great day.

There were big sales downtown Cannes this weekend (THE CANNES BRADERIE). Rebecca scored a nice leather purse and a new sweater. She then took the train to nearby Antibes to visit an English bookstore. There she scored a few books and caught lunch.

My daughter Katie is taking a plane tonight to arrive in London tomorrow. She will spend a few days there with some friends and then join my other daughter Sarah in Cannes with me for a few days. I’m looking forward to spending time with them.

Cannes, Thursday, October 12, 2023

As we were walking downtown to meet with some friends for lunch we witnessed a horrible accident. A motorcyclist slammed into a pedestrian right in front of us. Both were lying in the street hurt. The pedestrian was lying motionless face up with a blank look on his face. Not a good sign

Rebecca told a lady nearby to call an ambulance, which she did. We really couldn’t help but others arrived to give assistance.

It was a grim reminder of how dangerous the motorcyclists are here in France.

The motorcyclists basically pay no attention to street conventions or car traffic. They are often referred to as Orgin Donors here. They weave between cars, run traffic signals, and sometimes even drive on the sidewalks to avoid traffic.

The rest of the day was very pleasant as we met with our friends from Nice- Bruce and Sheila for lunch. It became a belated birthday lunch for Rebecca.

Afterward, we walked about town and ended up at the local beach for drinks enjoying the day. It was great to see them again.

Cannes, Wednesday, October 11, 2023

From the I’m getting too old for this shit department

Finally finished painting the terrace railings. It looks good but a lot of work.

Taking the day off tomorrow as some friends are in Cannes from Nice.

Friday will be wash the base day in prep for painting the base on Saturday. Then pretty much finished.

Cannes, Saturday, October 7, 2023

Passing the buck

Our money is largely in dollars but our expenses are paid in Euros. This means that we have to watch the Euro to Dollar exchange rates and move dollars to euros when the rates are favorable.

Here is how the dollar has looked over the last year.

We love a 1.00 to 1.00 exchange where a buck is equal to a euro. Today the exchange is about 1.00 EU to .95 USD, so a USD is worth .95 euros. This means that our local purchases cost about 1.05 dollars per euro.

Here is an example.

Our monthly rent is 1800 euros. Today that cost us about $1,910 dollars.

About a year ago, mid-October 2022, the Euro was at .97 dollars so that same rent would have cost us about $1,710 dollars. That is a $200 dollar difference.

You can see that it does matter when we convert our money. The hard part is knowing when to do so.

Cannes, Friday, October 6, 2023

For the last two days, I have bustin’ my butt scraping and priming our terrace railing. It is a lot of work but the results are starting to show.

From this (Orginal)

to this (scraped)

to this (primed)

Saturday will be a rest day, but on Sunday I’ll start the final painting. Two coats of oil-based enamel.

Cannes, Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Happy Birthday, to my sweet gal, Rebecca 35 x 2

She was feeling a bit under the weather so we postponed our Monte Carlo plans.

We headed out to a seaside restaurant for brunch. After a very long delay, we were finally able to order.

The good news- the best croissant we’ve ever had in France.

The bad news after waiting about 45 minutes and finally asking we were told that the chef ran out of eggs. No waiter to inform us. No Eggs Benedict for Rebecca.

We stormed out and went to Rebecca’s second favorite place – the Bungalow- for pancakes. They were excellent. Lunch saved.

Later that evening another beautiful birthday sunset.

Cannes, Monday, October 2, 2023

Today was a trip to the hardware store for painting suppliers.

I was told that Castorama was the place to go so I took the #35 bus for 45 minutes to get there and back.

2Litre rust-resistant paint, roller, solvent, paint cleaner, and tape all came to around 105 EU. Painting supplies are expensive in France.

Cannes, Saturday, September 30, 2023

Our patio railing is in desperate need of a paint job so I began the project today as the weather is excellent for outdoor work.

First comes scraping with a wire brush then prime and paint. I expect this to take a week or so.

I also mounted a lock box for our keys outside the gates.

We enjoyed another stunning sunset off the terrace this evening.

Cannes, Friday, September 29, 2023

We made some plans for Rebecca’s birthday next Tuesday. We will be going to Monte Carlo for lunch on Wednesday and have a local lunch on Tuesday.

Rebecca had a nice read-a-book day by the sea day. I wandered down to the seaport to see the Regatta boats.

We went for a nice evening walk together.

Cannes, Thursday, September 28, 2023

No Budapest for you

Rebecca called the French Visa people today to check on the progress of our renewal. We were assured that it is in the works and that all paperwork is complete. Our current visa is expired.

However we were strongly advised not to leave the country until it is renewed.

We were able to cancel our Air BnB without charge. not so much for our airfare.

We will be going out to dinner in Monte Carlo for Rebecca’s birthday on October 3 instead.

Cannes, Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Well, the plumber finally showed up and solved the leak problem. One of the shut-off valves in our shower room was faulty. No visible damage to the walls of our unit which might require repair.

This was good news since we leave on Friday for a week in Budapest.

Cannes, Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Rebecca and I had an eye doctor appointment today. All is good. The doctor spoke great English and was very professional. The cost was 60 eu each including a new Rx for each.

Do you like Rebecca’s new glasses?

After the appointment, we walked downtown for lunch at a harbor pizza place.

Today begins the Cannes regatta. The winds were great and the boats provided quite a spectacle.

Since 1929, the Régates Royales has been organising numerous sailing regattas throughout the month of September in Cannes. Thousands of crews take to the water each year in up to 150 yachts.

Cannes, Monday, September 25, 2023

The plumber was supposed to come today to investigate the leaks but for whatever reason they failed to show. Something about coordination between the owner and other tenants.

Cannes, Thursday, September 21, 2023

I met Doug and Aimee for a quick morning croissant then they set off to return the car in Nice. They will be staying at an airport hotel to catch a flight to Berlin and continue their travels.

We had a great time together and visited some interesting places with them.

Cannes/Monte Carlo, Wednesday, September 20, 2023

The weather was calling for rain but we decided to take a driving trip to Monte Carlo as Amiee had never been there before. We considered a visit to Eze on the way but the weather suggested otherwise.

Fortunately in Monte Carlo parking garages are wide enough to accommodate larger cars.

We had lunch at the Monte Carlo Bristol which is directly across from the palace.

After lunch, we took a tour of the palace as the drizzle began.

After the palace, we visited the cathedral where Princess Grace and her husband are interred.

We had a nice uneventful drive home.

Cassis/Cannes, Tuesday, September 19, 2023

We checked out of the hotel and headed off to our next destination of Cannes via St Tropez.

Still have a fat car.

We arrived in St. Tropez only to discover that our SUV was still as wide as it was in Aix, much to our surprise. Same problem no place to accommodate our car. We hunted for parking in St Tropez but had no luck, it too became a drive-by.

So we headed out of town and stopped at a nearby place for lunch.

After a bite, we took a leisurely ride to Cannes again enjoying the scenery along the way.

We checked Doug and Aimee into their hotel and they parked the beast in our garage. We enjoyed wine and cheese on our terrace and walked over to a neighborhood Thai restaurant for dinner.

After we took an evening walking tour of Cannes.

Apt/Cassis, Monday, September 18, 2023

The Parking Gods must be crazy.

Today’s plan was to drive from Apt to Cassis a quaint seaport village. Before leaving and checking out of of hotel was had coffee and croissants at a local boulangerie.

Our first stop was Aix en Province with the intention of having lunch and possibly meeting up with our friends from there. We made it to Aix BUT we couldn’t find a place to park. We circled abound for a half hour and even tried to squeeze into a parking garage which refused to accommodate our SUV. Finally, after several minutes of high anxiety of having the car doors inches away from the two walls, we bailed on AIX looking for an alternative place to have lunch.

This took us through Lourmarin. We noticed that it had a Chateau which we stopped to visit.

Lourmarin is one of France’s most beautiful villages and is located in Provence. With its picturesque scenery, historical attractions and delicious local cuisine, there is plenty to see and do in this charming village. Here is a guide to help you discover all there is to see and do in the village.

Between the olive groves and vineyards stands the Château de Lourmarin, which dominates the village. It is the first Renaissance castle in Provence. It is composed of the Château-vieux (old castle), built by Foulques d’Agoult in the 15th century and a Renaissance wing built in the 16th century. These two parts combine elegantly to form an incredible whole.

From there it was off to Cassis a quaint seaport village. We checked into our hotel (Les Jardins de Cassis) and walked down the hill to the village for a late lunch (Le 8 et Demi) Restaurant).

Doug and I were ready for our afternoon constitutional nap and headed back to the hotel but the ladies remained in the village to explore.

As the road was rather steep back to the hotel we sought out a taxi. We went to the taxi stand, dialed the request number and nothing happened. After 20 minutes of waiting we were forced to walk back uphill further earning our coveted naps.

After a sufficient time napping we returned down the hill to regroup with the ladies.

We explored the seaport together and headed over for dinner enjoying a nice sunset.

We walked back to the hotel.

We received a call from one of our downstairs neighbors while on the road. It seems that there is a water issue in the apartment below us and they suspect that it originates somewhere in our apartment. We will address it when we return.

Apt, Sunday, September 17, 2023.

We headed out for L’Isle–sur–la–Sorgue and arrived on market day. We scored some great cheeses.

L’Isle sur la Sorgue is one of those places in Provence that one has to see. This “island city” lies at the foot of the Vaucluse plateau in the plains of Comtat Venaissin..
The “bargain hunters”, lovers of beautiful objects, flea markets and art galleries will be delighted, there are indeed nearly 300 antique dealers in this small town! Its colors are nature’s green and the bright reflection of the water shining from the several channels running through its center. The river Sorgue surrounds the city as if to hug it.. Walking along the canals you will notice how they run between the narrow ancient streets. There are little bridges to cross and great wheels to look at with mossy blades turning in the river.

Then it was off to Roussillon, the Red City.

Roussillon is surrounded by beautiful countryside. It is considered one of the most impressive villages in France – Roussillon is one of the “must-sees” in the Luberon , and is well worth a detour. Situated in the heart of one of the biggest ocher deposits in the world, Roussillon is famous for its magnificent red cliffs and ocher quarries. The red, yellow and brown shades of the earth form a striking contrast with the lush green pine trees. The vivid blue of the Provencal sky and the exceptional quality of light make this a magical site.

We had lunch in the village.

We also visited Saint-Saturnin climbing the hill to the church on top

The old village of Saint-Saturnin, where the Counts of Auvergne once lived, towers above the Monne gorges from the top of a lava flow and has inspired a whole host of painters and writers. Its places of interest include a 12th-century Romanesque church topped with a fine octagonal bell tower, a medieval fortified castle that was once the property of the queens Catherine de Medici and Marguerite de Valois, a Renaissance fountain and picturesque narrow streets – all of which have contributed to it being recognised as one of France’s Most Beautiful Villages.

Returning to Apt we had dinner at Mona Lisa Restaurant.

Sisteron/Apt, Saturday, September 16, 2023

We headed out from Sisteron for Apt which will be our base for two days.

The day began with steady rain and we were glad that we had visited the citadel last evening rather than this morning. After coffee and croissants at the hotel, we set out for today’s adventure.

After driving for about an hour we realized that Rebecca had left a few things at our Sisteron hotel so we doubled back to retrieve them. The drive itself was interesting as we came across some sheep and beautiful road.

We caught lunch at Pizza L’Ancienne in Forqualquier

Dinner was at Le Carnet Set

Grenoble/Sisteron, Friday, September 15, 2023

We began the day with a trip to the Grenoble Bastille via tram to visit The Musée des Troupes de Montagne. These are the French mountain troops. The site offers a great view of the city.

The mountain troops museum is located in Grenoble, in Isère.

Created in 1988, it has been housed since 2009 in the Fort de la Bastille, built in the 19th century and which dominates the city, located at an altitude of 476 meters in the foothills of the Chartreuse massif.

The vocation of the establishment is to pay tribute to the alpine hunters, nicknamed “the blue devils” since the First World War.

After the visit, we had lunch at Le Jardin d’Asie and headed out to Sisteron enjoying the spectacular scenery along the way.

We checked into our quaint hotel (Hôtel de la Citadelle) and took a visit to the citadel about an hour before closing.

Sisteron is a strategic lock on the road opening the passage between the Dauphiné and Provence since 1209. The upper wall walk and the keep of the citadel are said to be built at that time, just like the devil’s gatehouse. This figurehead balancing above the Durance, built to serve as a shelter for the sentinels is the subject of a legend. It could not have been built without the help of the devil (hence its name) in exchange for the soul of the mason. In the 13th century, the chapel Notre-Dame du Château was built in Gothic style on a terrace supported by imposing arcades. The difference in color between the golden sandstone and grey limestone used, highlights this architectural masterpiece.

Sisteron was stunning being at the base of a mountain and worth a return visit. That evening we enjoyed dinner in town and the evening view of the mountain.

Lyon/Grenoble, Thursday, September 14, 2023

Doug and Aimee had reserved a full-size car to accommodate the four of us and our luggage. Due to a reservation SNAFU, we ended up with a Maserati SUV. Interesting note – their engine is made by Ferrari. It was a nice ride its size but presented issues later on the trip.

Our route out of Lyon took us due south from Vienne through the celebrated Northern Rhône wine region to Valence. We stopped for lunch in Tournon. From there we headed north east to Grenoble with a stop at Château de Châteaubourg

Château de Châteaubourg is a castle located in the town of Châteaubourg in the department of Ardeche in France. The castle is built in the eleventh century, on top of a rocky hill on the right bank of the Rhone, opposite the confluence of the Isere and the castle of La Roche de Glun, and that of Glun, three castles belonging to the same owner an appointed Rogier, who used to extort money from passersby, pilgrims and sailors. In his memoirs, Joinville says, going on a crusade, King Louis IX took the opportunity to besiege the castle of La Roche de Glun. The Rogier lord and its population put to the sword, the king was housed at the Castle of Châteaubourg. During the religious wars, the castle is under attack Huguenots. Remodeled, it still faces the French Revolution.

Charming Rhône-side Tournon with its southern feel has a port where river cruisers can moor. Opposite it, Tain-l’Hermitage boasts famous vineyards planted on steep terraces.

We stopped for lunch and a walk about town before heading out for Grenoble and checking in to our accommodations -Pantone (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17654456) We had dinner in Grenoble at Aux Trois Maries and took a stroll about town in the evening.

It was a nice evening and we chanced upon a lively bar packed with students watching the Rugby finals.

Lyon, Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Today was a bit drizzly.

Rebecca stopped for an expresso and met a nice local lady. We had a nice chat and she suggested a few places to visit in the area.

We met a nice couple (JR and ) from the Chicago suburbs at a lunch spot and had a great conversation. They run an excellent restaurant in Frankfort, IL called Dancing Marlin.

After lunch, we visited the Roman theatre ruins and museum in Lyons. The Roman name for Lyon was Lugdunum

The Great Theatre, the oldest in France, built by Augustus in 15 BC and divided into 3 sections: the “cavea” (a vast shell with 25 stands leading to the pit) built on a gallery. In bad weather, a “velum” (awning) was stretched over the “cavea”, tied to the backstage wall. The “cavea” had several “vomitorias” (doors leading to the stands). The “balteus” was the wall separating the Plebs from the Patricians. Finally, the semi-circular pit was the most ornate part with multi-coloured geometric patterns. This was where the choir, dancers and actors performed. It is 27 m in diameter.

After the museum visit we left to explore some of the street murals that Lyon is known for. We found the most famous one but the rain persisted so we ended up at a coffee shop and then returned home.

Later that evening we met up with our friends from Chicago Doug and Aimee for dinner (Aux Trois Maries) and a walk around town at night.

Cannes/Lyon, Tuesday, September 12, 2023

We walked to the Cannes train station to catch a 7:30 AM train to arrive at Lyon at 11:26 . The ride was uneventful and relaxing.

We stored the bags at the station and set off on foot on a nice warm day.

We took the funicular to the cathedral at the top of the hill, did some exploring, and then set out to find a lunch spot.

Many restaurants close at 2:00 PM and it was already passed 1:00 PM. We had a hard time finding a specific restaurant so we continued down the hill seeking any that looked good and was still serving.

We finally stumbled on to an open-air place in the heart of town.

After lunch, we continued to explore the city.

Cannes, Friday, September 8, 2023

I’ve been battling a bug for the last few days but am now starting to feel better.

I need to rest up as we begin our road trip with a friend from Chicago and his mate next Tuesday beginning in Lyon and weaving our way back to Cannes by September 21. It will be a make-it-up-as-you-go itinerary.

At the same time, I have some friends from my hometown taking a river cruise from Arles to Lyon so I hope we can intersect for breakfast or dinner one night as we both follow our paths in opposite directions in France.

Should be a nice road trip.

Cannes, Sunday, September 3, 2023

Just a few recent shots.

Cannes, Saturday, September 2, 2023

Tonight we had some friends from Nice over, Bruce, Sheila, Veronka and Mark. Rebecca also invited our neighbor from the building to join us. She only spoke French so Veronka did much of the translating.

Rebecca did a great job with organizing the event and selecting the things to eat. It was a very pleasant evening with some very nice friends.

Cannes, Friday, September 1, 2023

Finally, the new fridge is installed and working great. It took me a while to program it (instructions are in French) but through a random system of trial and error, it is working fine.

Cannes, Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Well, the plumber came today to cut off the water to our refrigerator’s ice maker so the installers can come back to finish the job. The good news is he showed up on time and did the work.

Meanwhile, we have some friends coming over from Nice on Saturday and Rebecca invited one of our downstairs neighbors to join us. We are looking forward to a pleasant evening with friends.

Cannes, Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Just two shots from today.

Cannes, Monday, August 28, 2023

Today was a rainy day as things cooled off.

We were treated to a beautiful double rainbow at day’s end and a stunning crimson sunset.

Cannes, Saturday, August 26, 2023

Our refrigerator has not been working properly so the landlord has agreed to replace it.

Earlier this week the replacement was delivered. It did not fit. So they returned it.

Yesterday a different one was delivered, but the delivery guys could not hook it up. They dropped it off and told us that a different installer would be by on Saturday.

The new team came today but could not install it due to a water supply issue. They promised a different crew would come by on Monday.

It should not be this difficult to replace a refrigerator, right?

Cannes, Thursday, August 24, 2023

Odd delivery

Today we received a call that we have a delivery. I went downstairs and met the UPS driver. She wanted 38 eu in duty to deliver a package that was purchased on Amazon. We refused the package.

An hour later a different driver from a different company showed up to deliver what looked like the same package without a duty charge. We accepted.

The good news was that the package was a cool mirror for our small bathroom. We wanted something interesting so we purchased a porthole mirror.

It really improved the look of that room.

Cannes, Wednesday, August 23, 2023

We enjoy traveling in September and October so we have a busy travel season ahead.

It begins with a road trip from Lyon to Cannes from September 13 to September 21 with a friend from Chicago and his partner. During that time we also hope to sync up with some friends from my hometown who will be on a river cruise in mid-France.

On Sept 29 – Oct 6, we head off for a week in Budapest.

In late October my two daughters will be visiting us in Cannes.

Cannes, Tuesday, August 22, 2023

We were 0-2 today.

The installation guys came today to deliver our new refrigerator. The current one was not keeping our food cold.

After barely squeezing the new fridge in our small elevator they got it up to the fourth floor. Turns out the model the owners purchased did not fit the space as our fridge is a built-in. Well, they had to return it.

Not sure when they will bring a better fit.

Later that day the awning repair man stopped by. We needed to get our remote to be programmed. The sun awnings will be helpful during these warm days to reduce our AC use.

Strike two, the awning guy could not figure out how to program the new remote. We will contact the manufacturer and get back to us hopefully tomorrow.

Later that night Rebecca and I took a stroll downtown. It was surprisingly active.

Cannes, Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Out for a walk by the misting fountain.

France, Tuesday, August 15, 2023 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today is a public holiday in France.

Many Catholics in France attend church services to mark the Assumption of Mary on August 15 each year. Many churches are dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and hold special celebrations on this date. Village festivals are held in rural areas. These festivals may consist of sports events, parades, markets or communal meals. The Feast of the Assumption of Mary is in the middle of the August holiday season so many people are on vacation at this time.

Lourdes is a village south-west France, close to the Spanish border. It became a center of Christian Pilgrimage after a girl claimed that a beautiful lady appeared to her in the Grotto of Massabielle on February 11, 1858. Many Catholics believed that this was the Blessed Virgin Mary. Millions of people now attend the special celebrations held in Lourdes on August 15 each year.

Cannes, Monday, August 14, 2023

From the nobody cares dept.

I’ve had two issues with my cellular/WiFi provider.

I could not convert my SIM to an eSim, which is helpful when using a second Sim when traveling.
I needed to order a repeater for our WiFi so we could get a good signal on the terrace.

I was successful in accomplishing both today

I told you nobody would care except me.

Cannes, Saturday, August 12, 2023

I was still feeling a bit run down so I rested all day. Rebecca relaxed as well and enjoyed reading her new book, The Man Who Fell to Earth.

London/Nice, Friday, August 11, 2023

All good things must come to an end, and this was our last day in London.

We scrambled to hit our 11 AM check out and checked the bags with the front desk. I headed out for a quick lunch. I was feeling a bit congested and wanted to get some decent food. Instead, I opted for a burger.

Rebecca discovered the Skechers store so she invested in two new pair of shoes.

Our flight was at 4:30 so we took another tube and train back to Gatwick.

Rebecca got busted for having a second bag (remember the shoes?) so she had to ante up an additional 45 pounds for a second bag.

I sat next to a nice Italian lady who lived in London and was visiting her mother in St Tropez for the weekend. We discussed photography which was an interest of hers.

Our return flight arrived on time and our friends from Aix who had been staying at our place were kind enough to pick us up at the Nice Airport. This worked out great as we had heard that all the trains between Nice and Cannes were fully booked.

Overall we had a great time in London and look forward to returning.

London, Thursday, August 10, 2023

I left early to do some shots around town. It took me to the Borough Market, the Tower Bridge, and other places. Rebecca made a dash to a bookstore, for some book time with English pages.

Rebecca and I had breakfast near our hotel and then headed off to Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace Interesting Facts

The Centre Piece of Britain’s Constitutional Monarchy

Buckingham Palace is home to over 775 rooms, 19 of these are State rooms along with 52 official royal bedrooms and guest rooms.
The staff themselves, have an impressive 188 bedrooms, 92 offices and a lavish 78 bathrooms.
Still very much a working building it is the center piece of Britain’s constitutional monarchy which includes the everyday duties of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh as well as their immediate family.
Buckingham Palace was first opened to the general public in 1993 and it is opened every year between April and September since.

Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside.

Stacy and Joe had separate tickets and our cell phone situation made it difficult for us to get in touch while outside.

Rebecca and I sat for a coffee and ice cream at the Palace and met a nice couple from Canada. We had an enjoyable chat.

That evening we gathered for dinner near their hotel at the Cafe Rouge.

Rebecca and I took a nice walk home on a beautiful London evening.

London, Wednesday, August 9, 2023

The day had cleared up and was nice and sunny.

This was our day to visit the British Museum so we met up with Stacy and Joe around 10 AM outside. The lines were long but moved quickly once it opened at 10 AM.

Founded in 1753, the British Museum in Bloomsbury has a collection covering two million years of history. Showcasing human knowledge in all forms, it was the world’s first public museum of its kind and attracts more than six million visitors each year.

We spent several hours inside. It is one of our favorite places to visit in London.

We were hungry after so we headed back to our pub the Plough for a repeat of our lunch from yesterday. We were not disappointed.

From there we introduced Stacy and Joe to the Tube and took it to Hyde Park for a walkabout.

We found ourselves tired again after all that hoofing so we retired to our hotels for the evening.

London, Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Classic London day, rainy and lunch at a proper London pub

Our reason for being in London this time was to hang out with Rebecca’s sister Stacy and her husband Joe.

Rebecca and I walked over to their hotel and I bought a raincoat at a resale shop as it was chilly and wet outside.

Together we walked to the British Museum area to check out the lines. It seems that every visitor to London today had the same idea and the lines were very long. No problem as we had tickets for Wednesday.

Our cell phone GPS was not working but we did have access to maps with driving directions. That became an issue because the directions were not very accurate. We found ourselves frequently retracing our steps. As we did so we noticed that we had walked by a Harry Potter building several times. I told Rebecca that I didn’t realize that there were so many Happy Potter buildings in that area. That lightened things up a bit.

Finally, Joe who is an expert map reader said I’ll use the map and ignore the turning directions. That solved the problem.

I stopped in at a tobacco shop and purchased a UK Sim (20 Pounds) so I could have internet access outside.

We headed to a proper British pub for lunch near the museum. We were told that a good pub has well-tended flowers outside and this was certainly true for The Plough. We had Fish and chips and a nice meat pie. The food was delicious.

We walked back toward our neighborhood, Covent Gardens, and visited nearby Chinatown. We had booked many steps that day and were tired so we bid adieu to Stacy and Joe for the day.

Cannes/London, Monday, August 7, 2023

Quick shuttle from the hotel to the Airport in plenty of time. The flight was 1H/45 M/.

On arrival at Gatwick, we took a train and tube to our hotel- Hotel Z at Strand (Heathcock Court, 415 Strand). It took about 45 minutes. At our tube stop, Covent Gardens, was our favorite London quick sushi place ITSU so we caught lunch before walking a few blocks to our hotel to drop our bags and begin exploring the hood. We were staying in the theatre district.

We opted for a micro hotel room, basically a sleeping room. It was in the heart of the London action.

That evening we booked tickets to Crazy for You, a fun Gershwin play.

Cannes, Sunday, August 6, 2023

Packing up today for a trip to London on Monday for a few days. We fly out of the Nice airport.

Will meet up with Rebecca’s sister and brother-in-law.

We spent the day with our friends from AIX who will be staying at our flat while we are out. We walked around and caught dinner together in St Laurent du Var which is next to the Nice airport. We are staying at an airport hotel for the evening to get an easy start tomorrow.

Cannes, Thursday, August 3, 2023

We had a beautiful sunset tonight in Cannes. The vertical red line was actually part of a rainbow.

Cannes, Thursday, August 3, 2023

Rebecca called the English help line to inquire about our visa renewal. We were informed that it was being processed. Once approved we just have to pay the tax and pick up our new cards.

Nice, Wednesday, August 2, 2023

We took the train to Nice today to catch lunch with some friends (Bruce, Sheila, Veronika, Mark) and to go shopping. Lunch and conversation was great. We ate at Restaurant Le Gaglio à Nice (10 Bd Jean Jaurès).

After lunch we explored the old town area and scored some new shoes.

We visited with Bruce and Sheila at their place after before returning home via train which was quite crowded.

Cannes, Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Rebecca and I attended a showing of the new Indiana Jones movie. It was in VO (version originale) or English but interestingly the German dialog was translated into French subtitles.

We took a nice walk back home along the promenade passed some of the landmark hotels.

Cannes, Sunday evening, July 30, 2023

Rebecca and I went for a walk later in the day. The weather was great.

Here are a few shots.

Cannes, Sunday, July 30, 2023

Hello neighbors

Next door to our apartment is a lovely villa named Villa Kazbek. Rebecca did a bit of detective work and discovered that it is an interesting building with an equally interesting history.

At the end of the 19th century, Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich, uncle of Nicolas II, and his wife, the Countess of Torby, took ownership of this sumptuous property that had previously belonged to the Countess Dulong of Rosnay. The house was extended and named -Villa Kazbek-.

Today, this mansion has become a stunning co-owned residence consisting of several apartments. Ideally situated in the area of La Californie, Villa Kazbek is highly secured and has a private courtyard to the rear of the property to allow for parking.

Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich

While in Nice, in 1891, Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich fell in love with Countess Sophie von Merenberg, his third cousin once removed, daughter of Prince Nikolaus Wilhelm of Nassau and his morganatic wife, née Natalia Alexandrovna Pushkina, a member of the minor Russian nobility. Sophie’s maternal grandfather was the renowned poet-author Alexander Pushkin; through him, she had black African ancestry (one part in 32) as a direct descendant of Peter the Great‘s protégé, Abram Petrovich Gannibal. The grand duke met Sophie when he saved her from a horse that had run away with her. He did not bother to ask for the necessary permission for the marriage from the Tsar or his parents because he knew it would not be granted. They were married in San Remo on 26 February 1891.

The marriage was not only morganatic but also illegal under the Imperial house laws and caused a scandal at the Russian court, despite the bride’s dynastic paternal ancestry. Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich was deprived of his military rank and of his position as adjutant at the Imperial Court. He was also forbidden to return to Russia for life.

Part of the year was spent at his villa in the south of France. The grand duke was the founder and president of the Cannes Golf Club, where he often played during the winter season. In the south of France, he usually met his relatives, particularly his sister Anastasia who owned a villa nearby. In 1903, Michael’s father had a stroke and was moved to Cannes. The old grand duke was charmed by his daughter-in-law and his Torby grandchildren. The presence of Michael’s father also frequently brought Michael’s brother Alexander and his family to Cannes, and these were later followed by other grand dukes. He socialised there with other royalty who also stayed at the Riviera. Grand Duke Michael helped finance the Carlton Hotel in Cannes.

Cannes, Saturday, July 29, 2023

I may have saved a guy’s life today.

Here is what happened.

I took my morning walk to La Bocca, about an hour away from our house. It is a nice walk along the sea.

As I leave the sea walk I have to cross through an alley to the main street in La Bocca.

While I was walking down the alleyway I heard a loud crash of glass shattering. Walking over to the sound, I saw a guy limping with blood flowing from his foot and leg in front of a shattered glass window.

I sat him down, took his beach towel and applied pressure to his cuts, and handed him my cell phone to call emergency services.

They asked for our address.

Of course, I had no idea what the address was but I found a lady who spoke passable English. She gave them the address and told me that there was a pharmacy nearby that could offer immediate assistance. I ran over there to get help. They came to the scene and called emergency back to explain the serious situation.

I then heard an ambulance approaching so I brought them to the guy. He would have been hard to find.

Finally, the guy had professional help, so I left.

A bit of excitement for my walk.

In the evening Rebecca and I went down to the waterfront to watch the Cannes Fireworks Festival presentation tonight they were from Austria. It was nice seeing them at the water with music. We chatted with a couple he from France and she from Germany. Rebecca had a chance to use her French but they also spoke English.

Cannes, Friday, July 28, 2023

Providing our proof of residence for our French Health card (Carte Vitale) has been a real challenge because they require documentation like a utility or fixed line phone bill. Having been living in Air BnB until late April we did not have any of these.

Today I asked our electricity provider to send me an attestation that we have had electricity service in our new apartment since late April. I received it via email.

I have filled out a new request for our Crte Vitale and will mail it out tomorrow.

Fingers crossed.

Cannes, Sunday, July 23, 2023

The weather was beautiful today so we decided to go for a walk around town.

In the evening there was another evening of the Cannes Pyrotechnic Art Festival. The best companies from each country compete for the top prize. They are choreographed to music. They are held every Friday evening in the Summer.

Tonight was the USA entry. The week it was moved to Sunday evening.

The Festival

The origin of the event dates takes place in 1967, when the company Ruggieri and the town of Cannes jointly developed, to the great amazement of the residents of Cannes and its visitors, an international competition between the most famous pyrotechnicians of the age.

With fireworks set off from barges anchored in the bay, the jousts were orchestrated to the rhythm of a musical track and choreographed along a symbolic theme: the bases for a brand-new concept were laid. They would vary slightly over the years, while the ever more spectacular performances by the pyrotechnicians would increase in sophistication and originality to make this Festival one of the most prestigious pyrotechnic meetings in the world nowadays.

80,000 spectators per evening in 1998. Today, more than 100,000 people, eyes raised, come in order to admire every display during fleeting creations that the greatest Master pyrotechnicians in the world exhibit under the starry sky of the Bay of Cannes, from July to the end of August.

We watched from our terrace.

Cannes, Saturday, July 22, 2023

It was another beautiful day in Cannes but very windy. This brought out the windsurfers near our place. It was colorful to watch and some of the guys were amazing.

Cannes, Thursday, July 20, 2023

Big day as I was able to file for our long-stay visa renewals. I hope I sent them the correct information. We will find out.

Today was Rebecca’s last French class for a while. She will be taking a well-earned break for a month or two. I give her big cred for all her efforts to learn French a rather complicated language.

My handyman, Laurent, came by today and filled his car with our cuttings. He will drop them off tomorrow at the dump. One more project off my Honey do list.

Cannes, Wednesday, July 19, 2023

I had a pile of bush cutting on the terrace for some time and I made it my mission to get rid of them.

I contacted a handyman to haul them away. They have to be delivered to a specific landfill that is regulated, one cannot just leave them out as trash.

My guy promised to come by tomorrow to haul them away. We wanted to get rid of them before our gardener comes by. He told us we would have to hire a Crain to get them off the terrace which would have been very expensive. I moved them all to our garage space bag by bag.

Cannes, Tuesday, July 18, 2023

It has been warm and humid and each day we praise the God of AC.

We have been struggling to renew our visas on-line. The website offers a English version but of course, it is only partially in English. I was able to fill in much of the data but at the top of the page, it is indicating that we were there to study. This is not the case of course.

We called the helpline and an English speaker was to get back to us.

We are having a similar challenge with our French Health Care which also required a call to their English helpline. This one was more helpful.

Cannes, Friday, July 14, 2023

Bonne Fete Nationale or “le Quatorze Juillet”

Americans think of July 14 as Bastille Day, but French people don’t call it that. Instead, they refer to July 14 as “la Fête Nationale Française” or “Fete Nat” or even as “la Fête du 14 Juliet.”

https://www.frenchtoday.com/blog/french-vocabulary/le-14-juillet-la-fete-nationale-francaise-bastille-day/

Today was also the first night of the Cannes Pyrotechnic Art Festival

We had a great view from our terrace.

Cannes, Saturday, July 8, 2023

It has been getting warmer during the day so today I took my 10K walk early at sunrise. The lighting was nice for a few shots.

Cannes, Thursday, July 6, 2023

We have had a fair amount of unwanted visitors to our terrace in the form of birds. It seems that they too enjoy the vantage point. Unfortunately they don’t respect our hospitality and leave bird shit all over. I would never do that to their nest.

My solution was to purchase a water pistol and welcome them with a nice shower when they arrive.

So far it works.

When they land and see me with my water device they quickly take flight. I guess their little bird brains have associated me with an unpleasant shower.

Good riddance.

Cannes, Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Happy 4th of July.

We have been struggling to renew our visa (VLS-TS) and sign up for Health Insurance (Carte Vitale) due to many confusing governmental websites.

Today Rebecca found a phone number for our Visa renewal and I made it through to the Health Care English hotline.

The people were very helpful and I think we are back on track for both. This is a big deal for us.